New Jersey Assemblyman Peter Biondi of Morris/Somerset Counties has introduced legislation that would make “certain operators of interactive computer services and Internet service providers liable to persons injured by false or defamatory messages posted on public forum websites.”

Wow. It is quite possible that here in New Jersey, it would be illegal to be mean when commenting on websites. As a pastor who blogs, this law is not something I am worried about when it comes to this space — this is a church blog; how many people are going to be “mean” to others? But for others in the state — what does it mean for First Amendment rights? Is mean language something to be outlawed? I know “mean” language isn’t nice, but to outlaw it and make the owners of a blog or an Internet service provider responsible for someone’s hurt feelings seems a little out of sorts, don’t you think?